The present invention relates to a pipe connector and particularly a pipe connector which is secured in and between the ends of two adjacent pipes by force clamping.
Some structures are assembled by connecting a plurality of pipes, e.g. a fence around a building, a stand for display or for fixing of illumination, shelves, household furniture, etc.
Examples of known pipe connectors are shown in FIGS. 9 and 10.
In FIG. 9 the pipe connector comprises a pipe P1 which has an installation hole H1 through which a first stopping bolt B1 is inserted and pipe P2 which has an installation hole H2 through which a second stopping bolt B2 is inserted. The pipes P1 and P2 are connected together through a connecting bush 90. The stopping bolts B1 and B2 are screwed radially into the connecting bush 90 into screw holes 91 from outside the respective pipes P1 and P2, thereby tightly fixing the connecting bush and the pipes together.
The pipe connector in FIG. 10 includes a connecting bush 92 connected to the ends of the pipes P3 and P4. Grooves 93 are provided in the ends of the bush 92 and extend in its longitudinal direction. Holding plates 94 are inserted into the grooves 93. By pressing the holding plates 94 radially from outside the pipe P3 and P4, by means of respective tightened bolts B3 and B4, the pipes P3 and P4 are fixed to the bush 92. Installation holes 95 extends radially through the pipes and into the bush 92 and screw holes 96 are formed in the connecting bush to receive the screws B3 and B4.
While the structure of FIG. 9 is simple, the outer surface of the pipes, posing a pro their appearance and obstructing the clamping of other pipes. The structure of FIG. 10, on the other hand, is somewhat complicated even though the possible protrusion of the bolts through the outer surface of the pipes can be prevented by installation using a bolt having a head with a hexagonal hole for receiving an Allen wrench.
These two known connecting structures, require that holes be form in the pipes through which the bolts are to be inserted, complicating the required assembly steps. Moreover, since each pipe is fixed by a single bolt, it lacks stability against subsequent bending or twisting.